Cost of Pet Ownership in Ontario

20 Nov Cost of Pet Ownership in Ontario

Taking a pet to your home will be a fantastic experience, and budgeting can help you welcome your new friend with no surprises. What do you need to know about pet care? We will share some tips and advice, from spaying and neutering to vaccinations.

Is spaying or neutering your pet necessary? Do your pets need every vaccination? What are the benefits? Can my insurance cover spaying or neutering and vaccinations? We will also be answering those questions. So, let’s begin.

Cat and Dog Needs

Having a new pet at home (cat or dog) is a huge responsibility. Not in vain; you’re taking care of a living being, and you will provide each other with companionship for years to come. However, pets have essential needs that you must consider:

• Food
• A safe environment
• Spay or neutering, provided by a veterinarian
• Core vaccinations, provided by a veterinarian
• An annual veterinary examination
• Emergency veterinary care
• Pet insurance

These are not all of their needs, but some of the most important, both for you and your pet.

Annual Pet Costs

Budgeting and making plans is a great way to use your resources at its best. For that reason, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association ( OVMA) published an estimation of the annual cost of pet ownership in Canada. These are their numbers for 2020:

Cats

Since you will incur one-time expenses in the first year, like spaying or neutering and vaccinations, OVMA shows two estimates:

• Kittens: $2,899 total first-year annual cost
• Cats: $2,272 total annual cost

Dogs

We have a similar situation as with cats: you will have some additional expenses in the first year of your pet’s life, so OVMA provides us with two estimates:

• Puppies: $4,287 total first-year cost
• Dogs: $3,417

Keep in mind that these are estimations; they are not exact costs because some depend on the specific characteristics of your furry friend.

For example, it’s not the same to apply anesthesia to a Chihuahua as a Great Dane for spaying or neutering. The same considerations will occur for pet insurance, calculated based on things like your pet’s breed, health and age.

Spaying/Neutering and Vaccinations

Spaying or neutering and vaccinations are critical for your pet’s health and wellbeing. Do you want to know why? Read on!

• It prevents several health problems in females and can have behavioural benefits—for instance, mammary tumours, ovarian cysts, and uterine infections.
• It has similar benefits in male pets, like reducing testicular and prostate-related diseases, and it also can have behavioural benefits.
• We can help ensure there are fewer unwanted or abandoned pets. On average, every year, thousands of these pets are euthanized in animal shelters across Canada.

Similarly, vaccinations help keep your pet healthy and lower your pet insurance premium, as vaccinated pets are less likely to suffer from common diseases. So, in the end, spaying or neutering and vaccinations look like an investment for the future. You can always visit our veterinary clinic to meet our veterinarians in Dundas for more information.

What’s Next For Your Pet?

There are many great resources out there that give excellent guidance on taking care of your pet. A good starting point is the Dog Owner’s Handbook and the Cat Owner’s Handbook from the OVMA, which includes details about:

• Nutrition
• Exercise
• Vaccinations
• Spaying and neutering
• Common parasites
• Preventing dental disease
• And more!

Check it out and give your pet a warm welcome to their new home. Do you also need help from a professional veterinarian? Just contact our Animal Hospital in Dundas. You can book an appointment for spaying or neutering or vaccinations to assist you and your pet!